


Alone At The Edge Of A Universe

by sweetreverie



Series: No Time To Die [1]
Category: The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
Genre: AU, Apocalyptic World, F/F, Gen, Minor Violence, Nobody Dies, Part 1 of a bigger series, Zombie AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-12
Updated: 2020-06-12
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:02:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24675799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sweetreverie/pseuds/sweetreverie
Summary: Letting out a sad laugh, she moved into a standing position. It was turning out to be a clear day; with clear blue skies and a gentle breeze. Suddenly aware of the danger she could be in, the woman whipped around, checking that she was still alone. Luckily, she was.For now.
Relationships: Miranda Priestly/Andrea Sachs
Series: No Time To Die [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1784107
Comments: 16
Kudos: 76





	Alone At The Edge Of A Universe

**Author's Note:**

> This lovely universe I've created is the product of an early pandemic dream. My brain created everything for me, I just had to put it into comprehensive thought. I've been a fan of TDWP for ages but hadn't written anything until recently. And since it is my first work for this fandom, I ask that you be kind. This is the first piece in what will become a 5-part series. I hope you'll stick with me as I continue to upload. 
> 
> Thank you to my lovely Beta readers, A & A, I know I haven't shut up about this project once since beginning it. I hope everyone is safe and healthy during this time. And I hope this can offer a bit of escape for some of you. Enjoy!

Swing. Duck. Jump. Duck. Swing.

_CRACK!_

A low squelching sound rang in the silence before the creature fell to the ground. Panting, Andy bent down to remove her bat from the shattered remains of a skull. Hearing no approaching Infected she let her shoulders drop.

“Finally, some damn peace and quiet.” She murmured.

She began to pull herself up into a large oak tree, not stopping her ascent until she was 15 feet off of the ground. The edge of the forest and the highway beyond were visible. And no Infected in sight. Relief spread through the brunette’s body before she froze, confused. Mob mentality was notorious amongst the creatures despite the lack of a working brain. There had only been three this time.

Scanning the forest at her back, Andy couldn’t spot any more pale figures. This was both comforting and concerning, but she didn’t have enough energy to waste on worries. Sticking to the plan was what mattered. She’d already moved off course to get some food. Pulling the heavy jacket from where it was wrapped around her waist and settling against the large branch at her back, she attempted to get some sleep.

_Thud. Thud. Thud._

_What is going on? Why was she running?_

_The surroundings were a blur of color and light. Something grazed her stomach, causing her to look down. Blue tape stood out against the paved track. Track? Cheering filled her ears unexpectedly and she whipped around. There, her parents were running towards her with large grins on their faces. It was the royal blue shirts with her face on them that refreshed her memory- It was her sophomore year track meet and she’d just won the last race. She began to move forward towards them before a low rumbling caught her attention. It could have been dismissed away but it just kept getting louder, and fast._

The dream stopped abruptly, leaving her disoriented. But the rumbling kept going. Quickly moving her gaze toward the edge of the forest she spotted it- a dark vehicle coming down the highway. With no other noises permeating the air, the engine sounded like a faint sort of thunder.

Blinking to make sure it wasn’t a mirage, she quickly wrapped the jacket around her waist and grabbed her gear. She gathered that she had two minutes before the car would pass and she’d lose her shot. Launching from the branch, she landed with a grunt. Within a second of landing she was off like a shot. It took an estimated 30 seconds to break through the tree line.

The car was closer than she’d thought.

She had fifteen seconds to close the gap between herself and the highway. If she didn’t make it, they’d never see her in the dark brush. And then it was back to being alone.

_Fifteen_.

Adrenaline coursed through her veins. She was moving faster than ever before, her eyes never leaving the black SUV rapidly approaching.

_Fourteen_.

Faintly, she registered thorns in the brush slicing her face. Tears filled her eyes. But she kept going.

_Thirteen_.

Five more seconds and she’d be golden. Five agonizing seconds.

_Twelve_.

She could see the path out of the brush, it would place her in the perfect spot for the driver to see her.

_Eleven_.

Just a few more strides. She could practically taste it.

_Ten_.

Two seconds from breaking the brush-line, the toe of her boot caught a rock. Pitching forward, she let out a yelp. The bat sticking out of her bag flew out in front of her. Hearing the metal hit rock, she blindly reached for it as she scrambled to her feet.

_Five_.

Gripping the metal weapon in her hand, she stumbled.

_Four_.

In a panic, Andy raised the baseball bat above her head and waved it frantically. All she could hope is that the black would stand out against the green foliage.

_Three_.

“Almost. Fucking. There.” She panted.

_Two_.

The brunette broke through into the clearing a second early and watched the vehicle speed past. Hope built in her chest as she waited for the screech of tires. None came. It wasn’t slowing down. Her blood like waves in her ears as the adrenaline rush she’d felt evaporated. Everything felt frozen for a moment before she opened her mouth and let out a guttural scream.

All thought to her surroundings and potential Infected flew out the window. The agony that’d been bottled up over the months broke free. Tears ran down dirtied cheeks as she slammed her fists into the ground. Forcing herself to look up, the SUV slowly disappeared from view.

“I’m being taunted,” Andy spoke hoarsely, “Some higher power has it out for me.”

The only reply to her statement was the rustle of leaves blowing in the wind. Letting out a sad laugh, she moved into a standing position. It was turning out to be a clear day; with clear blue skies and a gentle breeze. Suddenly aware of the danger she could be in, the woman whipped around, checking that she was still alone. Luckily, she was.

For now.

Pulling out a granola bar to munch on, she decided to get started for the day. It was early still and any progress was good progress. For safety purposes, she followed the highway to travel. Since the mass infection wiped out most of the world’s population it was desolate. Not to mention the easiest way to navigate.

It was nearly empty as far as the eye could see. Besides a few cars on the horizon, it was the same cracked, grey asphalt. She took care to approach the cars slower than normal. It wasn’t uncommon to find an Infected sitting in one of the seats. Whether they were waiting for prey or reliving some echo of their lives, Andy didn’t let them live long enough to find out.

Hours passed, feeling more like years. The sun was at its highest point in the sky and the brunette couldn’t help but regret not stopping to apply sunscreen. She’d kill to have a weather app at her disposal again. It was impossible to figure out what days required additional protection. And since supplies were limited, she often braved the burns instead of wasting it.

Rounding off a mile and coming upon the marker, she made her way down the highway exit hoping to find any shop that hadn’t been looted. It was easier now that she was further away from the cities. Finding anything there would have been impossible.

To the left of the exit stood a Shell station, nearly untouched. The only signs that it’d been touched were a broken door. From outside, it looked fully stocked, shelves lined with bright packages. Either the looter didn’t have much they needed or they were horrible at looting. She guessed the former. You didn’t make it very long after the infection by being stupid. It was necessary to maintain the balance of staying stocked while not weighing yourself down. Not all of the Infected were slow, meandering corpses. There were a few that were known for their fast movements, darting on all fours towards their prey. And if your belongings weighed you down, there was no chance in hell of beating them.

Stepping over the shattered glass littering the ground, she wedged herself through the doorway. Scanning the shelves it was easy to see the few items that they were missing. Nothing major to be concerned about, though. Three cans of beans, a bag of dried meat, and energy bars made its way into her bag. She chugged the last of the water in her canteen before filling it up with the bottled water she found in the still-cool refrigorator.

“If I decide to throw in the towel on finding anyone else, I might just set up shop in here.” Andy murmured to herself, wearing a grin. She hadn’t seen a shop this well stocked in ages.

Mentally cataloging the location of the Shell station, she set back out.

The sun remained just as blistering as before, but the fully stocked gas station had given her extra energy. There wasn’t the concern of how to feed herself. Now, she just had to stay safe long enough to find others. As she came back to the exit she’d come off of, movement caught her eye. In a fluid, well practiced movement, she pulled the bat from where it stuck out of her backpack. Whatever she’d seen had gone still.

“Come out, come out,” the brunette whispered, eyes trained in front of her. With bated breath, she stood there waiting for movement again. And gradually she began to relax.

That was a mistake.

As soon as the tension in her shoulders lessened, an Infected lunged out of a dark spot to her left. With stilted movements, it charged at her on all fours. She’d expected a hungry animal, not this. All of her muscles tensed and she swung without a second thought. There was a loud _clang_ where the bat met the creature’s bones, followed by a snarling yelp. She’d snapped its arm clean in half.

The Infected creature was thrown off for a moment, hopping and moving, before regaining its balance and launching itself back at the brunette. Andy let out a yelp of surprise, stumbling from the force and falling onto her back. She quickly held the bat horizontally against the creature's neck. If it couldn’t sink its teeth into her, it couldn’t win. It was thrashing wildly with a vigor she’d never seen before. Her sweaty palms were losing their grip.

Violently clamping jaws were nearing her face as she looked for a way out of the situation. She was moving to flip the creature, when there was suddenly a voice.

“Force its head up!” A woman’s voice yelled from behind the creature.

“I’m trying!” Andy yelled back, fear filling her body as the Infected’s jaws nearly caught her nose. Her muscles were frozen for a moment- which was nearly a moment too long. The will to live quickly overpowered her reaction and all of the strength in her body was dedicated to forcing the creature away from her. It was just enough to do the trick.

An echoing, nearly explosive sound overtook her ear drums. She watched as barely-there brain matter splattered out of a gaping hole where the top of the creature’s skull had been. After the sound faded it was deathly quiet, making her aware of her ragged breathing. Shoving the now truly dead corpse off of her and forcing herself into a sitting position, she watched a tan woman lowering a gun.

“Thank you.” Andy said, though the sound was ragged and grated on her vocal chords. The brunette winced at the feeling.

“I was glad to help,” The woman responded, “I’ve never seen one quite so aggressive before. You’re lucky I heard you.”

“They aren’t as common as the slow ones, but there are definitely more like that one. They don’t usually hide like that, but I guess I didn’t think the bastards had the tactical thinking for that,” She said casually with a grin, forcing herself to her feet and holding out a hand, “I’m Andy.”

“Serena,” She said with a kind smile, “Not to be rude, but what the hell are you doing around here? Especially alone.”

“I’m traveling. I just stopped to get food.”

“Where are you traveling to?”

“Anywhere with people,” Andy started before snapping her mouth shut. When everything had started, there had been rumors of groups that would kill survivors for supplies. She didn’t know if the woman was one of them, “Safer in numbers, you know?”

“Definitely. That’s why we’re here, my partner and I. We come out looking for people like you.”

It was then that Andy noticed the silver truck idling behind the woman. In the driver’s seat, a mature dark-skinned woman wearing a smirk gave her a nod. She waved in return.

“What do you mean ‘people like me?’” The brunette inquired slowly.

“Individuals misplaced by the infection. We’ve picked up a lot of groups who’ve come from all over the country. You’re the first loner, though. If you’re looking for a place to stay, you’re more than welcome to come with Tish and I.” Serena motioned to the woman in the truck with a comfortable attitude.

“Where do you, you know, keep everyone?”

“We’re members of The Compound about 20 miles North of here. It’s big and still quite empty, despite how many of us there are. A lot of friendly people. You’d fit right in.”

“Plenty of food and clean water?” She couldn’t help but ask. It was all fine to be a part of a community, until you ran out of resources. Dying was not on her bucket list at the moment.

“Of course!” The tan woman laughed.

The woman’s laugh, genuine and amused, put the brunette fully at ease. It might be nice, she thought. Imagining an actual bed to sleep in and fresh water at her fingertips made her practically salivate.

“I’m in.”

The two walked back to the truck, Serena sliding into the passenger seat and Andy in the bed. With some effort, she successfully wedged herself into one of the corners nearest to the cab of the truck, leaving the supplies undisturbed. There was a large variety of food items from candy to dried beans, but what stood out were the bright red jugs. They were massive and sturdy, sloshing with gasoline.

“Nice to see you comin’ with us, honey.” Came the cheery voice of Tish through the window. She could see the woman’s friendly smile in the rearview mirror.

“Thanks for letting me come with you. Traveling alone gets rough after a while.”

“Oh, I can imagine. How long you been travelin’ for?”

“Three months- give or take. Since all of this chaos started. So I can’t tell you how nice it is to be with people again.” Andy sighed dreamily.

There was a pregnant pause and Serena whipped around, eyes wide. The shock that could be made out on her face had Andy flinching slightly. Out of the corner of her eyes, she could see Tish glancing between her and the road.

“You’ve been alone this _whole_ time?” The blonde woman demanded, eyes still wide.

“Uh, yeah.”

“How are you alive? That’s, that’s impossible!” Tish spluttered from the driver’s seat. Her quick gazes held something between shock and awe.

“It isn’t that hard…” Andy started almost timidly, “I ration a lot. So, a can of beans would last me two days. I usually get three or four, so that’s a week. And with everything else I only need to stock up every two weeks. Water was a little more difficult, but I bought a ton of bottled water before the infection, so that lasted me a long time. After that it’s making sure I only travel during the day and sleeping in high places since the Infected can’t climb.”

“What about if you get attacked? All I’ve seen is your baseball bat.”

“That’s typically what I use. It’s durable and doesn’t require anything extra to use. If you aim for the head or neck, you can kill them easily. Or knock off their balance and then kill them. I have a gun, but bullets are hard to come by. So I’ve… saved it.”

Serena nodded and silence once again took over. It was awkward at first, but after a while the brunette became too entranced by the landscape to notice. The sun was on its way down and cast a lovely pink hue over the foliage next to the highway. It was beautiful enough to make her tear up.

It had been three months since she felt secure enough to let herself enjoy something as simple as a sunset. When traveling, there was too much fear in her system to stop for a split second. And 12 hours of looking over her shoulder and moving as fast as possible on minimal food meant she fell asleep quickly. How had she forgotten what it was like to hear the wind in the trees? Or the way birds sang? It felt overwhelming now after so long.

She’d closed her eyes to bask in the feeling, enjoying the breeze that blew through her hair. There was nothing but the steady rumble of the engine and her own breathing for a while, before she heard whispers from inside the truck.

“What kind of person can survive alone in this for three months?” She recognized Tish’s voice as she whispered to Serena.

“A special one. I have a feeling she’s going to turn a few heads when we get to the compound.” Serena responded in the same whisper.

“Do you think she’ll turn _her_ head?”

“Yes, Miranda will be thrilled with her.” Serena said. Her tone was one that Andy couldn’t decipher. She almost sounded… proud?

The silence took over for a few minutes before they turned onto a gravel road. Scraping, flying rocks crunched beneath the tires and the truck bounced slightly on the uneven terrain.

“Andy, wake up! We’re approaching the compound.”

The brunette did her best to make it look like she’d been sleeping and they’d startled her. From the expressions the women wore, it worked. She looked to the side and though it was getting dark now, she could make out the impressions of large buildings and a fence surrounding them. Lights came from specific areas on the top of each building, swiveling like that of a lighthouse. As they pulled up to an area in the fence, two guards opened a large gate. She expected a question of her identity or what she was doing with them. But none came.

They parked and got out of the vehicle, Tish handing off the keys to a scrawny looking boy while three large women began unloading all of the supplies with ease. Andy paused for a moment to gape, mesmerized by the well-built individuals. But when she noticed that Tish and Serena had begun to walk away, she jogged to catch up with them. Coming up to a pair of heavy-looking doors, Serena scanned a round chip she pulled out from behind her ear.

Creaking loudly, the doors opened and flooded the outside with light. A few well-armed men moved into place and acknowledged the women with a nod. Entering the compound in a brisk walk, the brunette took everything in. The building was all concrete and flooded everywhere with warm lighting, almost similar to the sunlight. Though there were no windows to be seen. Dozens of normally dressed people were milling around and sitting at long tables on a level below where they were standing, on a railed balcony. They all looked so very different. And if you squint, you could even make out a few children. She was overwhelmingly in awe of it all when a voice broke her from the feeling.

“Welcome to your new home, Andy.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked this first bit. If so, I will shamelessly ask for feedback. Comments keep me going. Until next time :)


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